Public authorities must take bold action to curb single-use to maximize the benefits of reuse systems, says Zero Waste Europe

Evidence suggests reuse systems are the way forward for various packaging sectors, including takeaway food and drinks, says a new report by Zero Waste Europe.

In line with the recently agreed EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), this new report, produced by Eunomia Research & Consulting, entitled “Facilitating the Adoption of Takeaway Reuse Systems,” shows the course of action for public authorities to maximise the environmental and economic benefits of reuse systems. Switching to these systems may reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 54% in Aarhus and 34% in Berlin, according to the report.

The report explores the costs associated with six formats of single-use and reusable takeaway packaging systems based on two city case studies and investigates the policy instruments likely to drive higher levels of market adoption of reuse systems for packaging. While the difference in net cost varies by format, small vendors in cities like Aarhus and Berlin could see cost savings covering takeaway drinks cups and food service formats while large businesses may face higher costs due to the economies of scale favouring single-use packaging.

The report reveals that, while single-use packaging seems cheaper, there are hidden costs, such as those related to litter clean-up, litter disamenity and carbon impacts, that make it more expensive for vendors and consumers than a reuse system. To level the playing field, these external costs must be factored in, and public authorities should implement fiscal measures—such as levies or taxes—to create fair competition with its single-use counterparts.

In addition to fiscal intervention, the report outlines a series of complementary measures: while setting minimum requirements for reuse systems or making reuse the default packaging option in shops can encourage gradual shifts, more stringent measures like setting meaningful targets for reuse or establishing an outright ban on single-use packaging are considered more effective.